Southampton City Council
Team Manager Children in Care
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TEAM MANAGER FOR CHILDREN IN CARE
Ofsted rating: Good for Children in Care and Care leavers with Outstanding Leadership. June 2023.
We are the difference for Children in Care.
Southampton City Council’s Pathways Through Care service is committed to achieving the best possible outcomes for children in care. We work closely with partner agencies and families to support reflective, relationship-based practice that promotes stability, safety and positive long-term outcomes.
Following the expansion of the service and the creation of a third team, an opportunity has arisen to join our established management group. This post offers strong development opportunities for experienced managers who are committed to supporting staff, strengthening practice and improving outcomes for children.
This role provides the opportunity to support social workers to build purposeful relationships with children in care. You will work alongside a resilient practitioner group and a supportive management team to provide clear oversight, informed decision-making and effective planning for children and young people.
In June 2023, Ofsted reported that the experiences and progress of children in care in Southampton are good, with notable improvement in placement stability, workforce recruitment and leadership engagement with children in care.
Permanence is central to our work. We maintain robust review processes to promote stability, identity and belonging for children in care, alongside strong reunification planning where appropriate. Southampton is also committed to staff development, with clear progression routes for social workers, senior social workers and assistant team managers.
The Service
The Children in Care service supports children and young people living in mainstream foster care, with connected carers or family members, and in specialist settings including residential and semi-independent provision. The service works closely with Personal Advisors and care leaver teams to ensure a joined-up pathway to independence, with joint working from age 16 onwards.
The wider service benefits from an experienced and approachable permanent management team, supported by a visible service manager. We pride ourselves on being a cohesive and supportive service.
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The Role
The successful Team Manager will provide oversight and support to social workers and family coaches working with children in care. This full-time post is suitable for an experienced manager with strong social work values, who can lead practice and support effective permanence planning and preparation for adulthood. They will have been a qualified social worker for at least 3 years.
Who are we looking for?
We are seeking a social work manager who is committed to high standards of corporate parenting and to improving outcomes for children in care and care leavers. You will bring strong leadership, clear management oversight and a commitment to relationship-based practice, participation and permanence. You will also share our ambition to provide services that are aspirational, child-centred and responsive to need.
Come Join Us
Southampton City Council and its partners are committed to delivering well-managed services, manageable workloads and strong professional support. We welcome applications from candidates living locally or considering relocation. We are committed to equality of opportunity and reserve the right to close adverts early where there is a high level of interest. This post is subject to an enhanced DBS check under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1975. A recognised social work qualification and Social Work England registration are essential.
For an informal discussion, please contact Ellie Steel at
Additional Information
Pay: Grade 12: £57,755 - £65,222 PA PLUS Market Supplement of £2,000 per annum.
Based at: Civic Centre, Southampton
There is an expectation that team managers are available to be office based at least 3 days a week with the availability to be able to support social workers and our children who live out of area. Out of area travel may be requested on occasion.
What We Can Offer You
- Salary: The salary band for this role is £57,755 - £65,222 per annum. The starting salary is £57,755 with annual progression through the salary bands.
- Benefits:
- Excellent Death in service benefit of x3 salary, and optional salary sacrifice shared cost AVC (additional voluntary contribution)
- Generous holiday 25–31 days, based on role and service
- Flexible working options (role-dependent)
- Family-friendly policies - Maternity, Paternity, Adoption, Shared/Unpaid Parental Leave, Time off for Dependents
- Training and development, including coaching and mentoring
- Health and wellbeing support - Employee Assistance Programme, Menopause Pledge, Mental Health First Aiders and access to a variety of staff networks
- Veteran-friendly employer with the Armed Forces Covenant
- Retail discounts and savings through the Southampton City Council benefits platform
- Discounted memberships at local sports and fitness centres
- Sustainable travel benefits - low emission car scheme, cycle to work, season ticket loans
- Employee volunteering scheme with 2 paid days leave to volunteer
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This post requires an Enhanced DBS check. Candidates who have lived outside the UK within the last five years will be required to provide a Certificate of Good Conduct or police certificate from the relevant country or countries. The salary quoted is based on full-time hours (37 hours per week). Contractual Car User Allowance applies.
Applicants must complete the supporting statement section of the application form unless separate criteria questions are provided. Applications will be shortlisted against the essential and desirable criteria in the job description, so please ensure your application clearly evidences how you meet these requirements. A CV alone will not be accepted.
We are proud to be #DisabilityConfident and to support fair recruitment practices.
Recruitment contact details:
Tel: 023 8083 4033
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